Ranked Choice Voting
The Basics
What is Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and why is it used?
A system where voters choose their first- , second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-choice candidates for each office. It eliminates the cost and time needed for run-off elections.
How long has RCV been used in Oakland?
It was implemented starting in the 2010 Elections.
Other Details
What if I rank the same candidate multiple times?
Your ranked vote will only count once per candidate, so it is the same as leaving the choices blank.
Need more information?
Go to acvote.org/voting/rcv
How Does It Work?
The Registrar of Voters and City Clerks determine the number of rankings that will be permitted in each election. In 2022, voters were permitted to rank up to five candidates for each elective office
Round 1 of Vote Count
If a candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice votes, that candidate is declared the winner.
Round 2 of Vote Count
If there is no winner from Round 1:
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First, the candidate with the fewest
first-choice votes is eliminated from the count -
Second, the voters whose votes were eliminated have their second-choice votes added to the count
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If any candidate now has more than 50% of the counted votes, that candidate is declared the winner
Rounds 3 to 5 of Vote Count
If there is no winner from from Round 2, a similar elimination and counting continues until one candidate receives over 50% of the counted votes.
To reiterate...
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2nd choice counted, only if 1st choice eliminated
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3nd choice counted, only if 1st & 2nd choice eliminated
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4th choice counted, only if 1st, 2nd, & 3rd choice eliminated
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5th choice counted, only if 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th choice eliminated